Apparatus for continuously and mechanically compacting webs of fibrous material



Oct. 14, 1969 e. BECKERS 3,471,907

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY AND MECHANICALLY COMPACTING WEBS OF FIBROUSMATERIAL Filed July 19. 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 t, I 101i 3,471,907 LLY 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 14, 1969 G. BECKERS APPARATUS FOR CONTINUUUSLY ANDMBCHANICA COMPACTING WEBS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed July 19. 1965 \EEY;//////////// /I m FIG. 5

Oct. 14, 1969 G. BECKERS APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY AND MEG COMPACTINGWEBS 0F FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed July 19, 1965 5 t e E h s S 9 w UnitedStates Patent 3,471,907 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY AND MECHANTCALLYCGMPACTIN G WEBS 0F FIBROUS MATERIAL Gustav Beckers, 57 Gracht, 407Rheydt, Rhineland, Germany Filed July 19, 1965, Ser. No. 472,821 Claimspriority, application Germany, July 18, 1964, M 61,784; Feb. 24, 1965, M64,305 Int. Cl. D06c 21/00 U.S. Cl. 26--18.6 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE Apparatus for longitudinally or transversely compacting afibrous material web includes rotary first and second rolls havingexterior surfaces spaced a given gap distance from one another such thata web transported between the rolls is in continuous contact with theexterior surfaces, a pair of slide members respectively situated atopposite ends of and adjacent to the gap between the rolls andrespectively having concave slide surfaces having curvaturescorresponding to those of the exterior roll surfaces di rected towardthe latter to define additional gaps therebetween through which the webtravels.

My invention relates to apparatus for continuously and mechanicallycompacting webs of fibrous material, such as textile or paper, in orderto reduce the dimensions thereof. In a more particular aspect, theinvention relates to apparatus for converting such webs to a stretchableproduct.

While machines are already known for the same general purpose, the knownmachines suffer from several serious drawbacks. Thus, on one type ofknown machine the web is fed through a gap between a feed roll and aheated slide member to a second roll which turns at a speed less thanthat of the feed roll and which forms with the feed roll a zone ofrestriction through which the web must be pushed, inasmuch as the widthor thickness of the zone of restriction is substantially less than thethickness which the web itself tends to naturally assume at the placewhere the zone of restriction is located. The second roll has a roughexterior surface preventing the web from sliding with respect thereto.Because of the different speeds of rotation of the rolls, the web backsup into the gap between the feed roll and the slide member to becompacted in this gap; and since the web becomes thicker as it movesthrough the gap, it is necessary for the discharge end of the gap tohave a depth greater than the inlet end thereof.

With another type of known machine there is also a rotary feed roll anda retarding roll rotating at a lesser speed than the feed roll andhaving a rough exterior surface to prevent slippage of the web. Theretarding roll defines with the feed roll a zone of restriction throughwhich the web is pushed. However, with this machine there is no slidemember defining a gap with the feed roll. Instead, just before the zoneof restriction defined between the pair of rolls there is a bar or railwhich presses the web against the surface of the feed roll so as tocompel the web to take the speed of movement of the exterior surface ofthe feed roll, and all of the forces tending to advance the Web into thegap between the pair of rolls act on the web at the edge of this railfrom which the web moves into the gap between the rolls. Because of therestricted zone provided by this gap between the rolls, there are forcesdirectly in the gap itself tending to oppose the movement of the webthrough the gap between the rolls, so that in this way compacting of theweb takes place within 3,471,907 Patented Oct. 14, 1969 the relativelysmall distance between this gap and the edge of the rail which isnearest to the gap and which presses the web against the feed roll.

With these known machines the web is subjected in the zones ofrestriction to large and harmful pressing and pushing forces, resultingnot only from the forcing of the web through a zone of restriction whosesize is less than the thickness which the web naturally tends to assume,but also from the fact that the rolls which advance the web arethemselves moving at different speeds. In addition to the stressing ofthe web itself to an undesirably large extent, the rolls of the machinewear away quite rapidly, and where an element such as a rail is used forpressing the web against the surface of a roll, this rail also issubjected to a high degree of friction and wears away quite rapidly.

It is accordingly a primary object of my invention to provide anapparatus capable of mechanically and continuously compacting webs whileat the same time avoiding the abovementioned drawbacks.

More specifically, it is an object of my invention to provide anapparatus which will continuously and mechanically compact a web offibrous material without requiring the web to be pushed through a zoneof restriction whose thickness is substantially less than the thicknesswhich the web itself tends to naturally assume. As a result, it becomespossible to use the machine of my invention for materials too delicateto be treated with the known machines, since the apparatus of myinvention will not damage the web even if it is made of a relativelysensitive material.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a machine whosecomponents will not rapidly wear away, and this result also follows fromthe fact that the compacting is achieved with my invention withoutsubjecting the web to the stresses required by the known machines.Therefore, the extent of frictional rubbing applied to the components ofmy apparatus is far less than has heretofore been possible.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which isreadily adjustable so as to be adapted to the particular requirements ofthe particular material which is treated.

Also, it is an object of my invention to provide an apparatus which canact on an elongated web of flexible fibrous material so as to compactthe web in a selected direction, which is to say either transversely orlongitudinally, or both.

Further objects of my invention include the provision of a simple ruggedstructure which is capable of operating reliably over a long period oftime to produce the desired results in a highly efiicient manner andwhich at the same time is easily adapted to carry out not only thecompacting of my invention but together with this compacting, or beforeor subsequent thereto, additional treatment processes.

According to my invention, the apparatus includes a first roll whichrotates about its axis and has an exterior surface for engaging the webso as to continuously transport the latter. A first slide member havinga concave surface of the same curvature as the exterior surface of thefirst roll is coaxially arranged with respect thereto so that theconcave surface of the slide member defines with the exterior surface ofthe first roll an elongated gap through which the web travels duringrotation of this first roll. A second roll has an exterior surface whichreceives the web from the first roll, and this second roll is parallelto the first roll and has an exterior surface which defines with thefirst roll a gap through which the web also moves when leaving the gapbetween the first slide member and the first roll. A second slide memberhas a concave surface of the same curvature as and directed toward theexterior convex surface of the second roll to define with the latter afurther gap through which the web is advanced during rotation of thesecond roll, after the web leaves the gap between the first and secondrolls. The relative speeds of rotation of the first and second rolls issuch that compacting of the web will take place as it travelssuccessively through the above gaps, and in accordance with an importantfeature of my invention these gaps have Widths which are set or soadjustable that the web, during its entire passage, does not travelthrough any zone of restriction whose thickness is substantially lessthan that which the web would naturally assume, so that with myapparatus the Web is not forcefully pushed through such a zone ofrestriction.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation of one possible embodiment of astructure according to my invention, this structure shown in FIG. 1providing longitudinal compacting of a Web of fibrous material;

FIG. 2 shows, also in a schematic manner, a structure similar to that ofFIG. 1 but having added thereto an additional compacting stage;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration, on an enlarged scale, as compared toFIGS. 1 and 2, of the treatment of a web of woven fabric by theapparatus of my invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary schematic side elevation of an embodiment of myinvention which is adapted to provide for transverse compacting of anelongated web;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the treating rolls of FIG. 4,showing the ends of these rolls, the intermediate portions of the rollsbeing broken away for the sake of convenience;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a roll of my invention for providingtransverse compacting of an elongated web;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing in a schematic manner howthe slide members of my invention can be adjusted;

FIG. 8 is a schematic fragmentary side elevation of one possibleembodiment of a complete machine for treating a web of woven fabricaccording to my invention; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic side elevation showing a further embodimentaccording to which a web is compacted both longitudinally andtransversely.

The apparatus of my invention schematically illustrated in FIG. 1comprises a first roll 10 supported for rotation about its axis anddriven in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1.This first roll 10 serves to introduce the web which is to be treatedinto that part of the apparatus where the web is treated according to myinvention. A slide member 11 cooperates with the roll 10, and this slidemember 11 has a concave surface directed toward and of substantially thesame curvature as the exterior surface of the roll 10.

The apparatus includes a second roll 12 whose axis is parallel to theroll 10, and a slide member 13 cooperates with the roll 12, this slidemember 13 also having a concave surface of substantially the samecurvature as and coaxially arranged with respect to the exteriorcylindrical surface of the roll 12. After leaving the second roll 12 theweb which is treated with the structure of my invention is transportedby a transporting means, formed by an endless band 14, which serves todeliver the web to the fixing calender roll 15, schematically indicated.

The first roll 10 defines together with the concave curved surface ofthe slide member 11 an elongated gap 16 of substantially uniformthickness, and the second roll 12 defines with its cooperating slidemember 13 an elongated gap which forms a guide for the material as itmoves between the slide member 13 and the roll 12. The gap between theroll 12 and the slide member 13 also has a substantially uniformthickness. The thickness of these gaps through which the web 17 movescan be adapted to the particular web by suitable adjustments of therolls as well as of the slide members while maintaining their axes atall times parallel.

FIG. 1 also illustrates how the second roll 12 and the slide member 13cooperating therewith are both hollow and provided with bores 30 throughwhich physical or chemical treating agents can be directed to the web.The roll 12 has its outer cylindrical wall surrounding stationaryinterior walls 31 which limit the angular range about the axis of theroll 12 through which the treating agent will issue, and this range islimited so as to correspond to the range along which the concave surfaceof the slide member 13 extends.

The apparatus which is illustrated in FIG. 2 is precisely as shown inFIG. 1, except that the assembly of the rolls 10 and 12, and slidemembers 11 and 13, is turned in a clockwise direction by from theattitude thereof shown in FIG. 1, and to this structure is added a thirdroll 18 which has a third slide member 19 cooperating therewith todefine an elongated gap through which the web 17 travels. Thus, whilethe rolls 10 and 12 provide one stage of compacting treatment to a web17, the additional roll 18 will cooperate with the immediately precedingroll 12 of the series of rolls 11, 12, 18 to provide a second compactingstage, and thus a plurality of compacting stages may be providedaccording to a further feature of my invention. The roll 12 will have atits exterior surface a speed less than that of the exterior surface ofthe roll 10, so as to provide compacting of the web 17 between the rolls10 and 12, and the roll 18 will in turn have at its exterior surface aspeed less than the exterior surface speed of the roll 12, so that inthis way further compacting will be provided in the gap between therolls 12 and 18. If desired, the exterior surface of the roll 12 canhave a coefiicient of friction greater than that of the exterior surfaceof the roll 10, and in the same way the exterior surface of the roll 18may be provided with a coefiicient of friction greater than that of theexterior surface of the roll 12, and this may be achieved simply bymaking the exterior surface of roll 12 somewhat rougher than theexterior surface of the roll 10, and the exterior surface of the roll 18somewhat rougher than the exterior surface of the roll 12.

The action which takes place at each compacting stage of my invention isillustrated in detail in FIG. 3. Of course, the illustrated compactingzone extends transversely across the entire width of the elongated webof fabric or the like which is treated as it moves continuously throughmy apparatus. Diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3 are a pair of adjustablerails 20 and 21 which respectively form parts of the slide members 11and 13 and which are adjustable toward and away from each other in anysuitable way such as, for example, that described below in connectionwith FIG. 7. Thus, the ends of the slide members 11 and 13 which aredirected toward each other and which are situated adjacent the gapbetween the rolls 10 and 12 can be moved toward and away from each otherwhile remaining parallel to each other, so that in this way the lengthof the compacting zone in the direction of travel of the web can beincreased or decreased. This compacting zone of my invention has anapproximately rectangular cross section, and the length A-B of thecompacting zone will be determined by the distance between the tips orfree edges of the end rails 20 and 21 of the slide members 11 and 13.The thickness or depth C-D of the compacting zone is determined by thedis tance between the exterior surfaces of the rolls 10 and 12. Becauseof the relatively large diameters of these rolls, as compared to thedistance between the tips or free edges of the slide members whichdefine the dimension A-B of the compacting zone, the exterior surfacesof the rolls can be considered as substantially flat directly at thecompacting zone itself, so as to provide it with the substantiallyrectangular configuration indicated in FIG. 3.

One of the important features of my invention resides in maintaining thethickness C-D of the gap between the cooperating rolls and 12 at a size,with respect to the thickness of the web 17 which is treated, enablingthe web to slide freely through the compacting zone, although the zoneis kept at a small enough size to prevent any buckling of the web in thecompacting zone. In the event, however, that it is desired to providethe web of textile material or the like with transversely extending foldlines, then of course the depth C-D of the compacting gap can beincreased, and, if desired, the speed differential between the rolls 10and 12 can also be increased, so that in this way transversely extendingfold lines can be introduced into the web. Of course, all of the aboveremarks made with respect to the cooperation of the rolls 10 and 12 areequally applicable to the cooperation between the rolls 12 and 18.

As was indicated above, FIG. 3 shows adjustable rails 20 and 21 of theslide members 11 and 13, and FIG. 7 illustrates one possible example ofa structure for adjusting these rails which form the free, tip edges ofthe slide members. Thus, referring to FIG. 7 where the structure isshown for the slide member 11, it will be seen that the adjustable rail20 is connected by an elongated strip 27 to the body 25 of the slidemember 11, and this strip 27 is formed with an elongated slot 28 throughwhich a pair of screws 29 extend. These screws are threaded into thebody 25 so that the shanks of the screws form together with the slot 28a pin-and-slot guide for the rail 20, and when the position of thelatter is adjusted the screws 29 can be tightened so as to maintain theadjusted position. As is apparent from FIG. 7, the concave surface ofthe slide member 11 which is directed toward the roll 10 is made upalmost entirely of the surface 32, while the final tip portion of theslide member is provided by the surface 33 of the slide rail 20. Thissurface 33 forms an extension of the surface 32 with practically noperceptible change from the surface 32, as a result of the inclinationof the surface 33 with respect to the surface 32, as indicated in FIG.7, so that in this way while the rail 20 can be adjusted neverthelessthere is no perceptible interruption in the concave surface of the slidemember 11. Of course, a pair of strips 27 are respectively provided atthe opposed ends of the rail 20 and are connected to the body 25 in themanner shown in FIG. 7, and this structure shown in FIG. 7 for the slidemember 11 is of course repeated for the remaining slide members.

Referring now to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the embodiment of myinvention illustrated therein includes the same first roll 10 whichserves to introduce the web 17 into the compacting zone providing thetreatment of my invention. The same slide member 11 also cooperates withthe roll 10. However, with the embodiment of FIG. 4 the second roll 22has a structure which will provide transverse compacting of the web, sothat the web is compacted from its outer side edges toward its center ina direction transverse to the direction of longitudinal movement of theweb. A slide member 23, identical with the other slide members,cooperates with the roll 22. This embodiment also includes the endlessband 14 which forms a transporting means for transporting the web,without any further stressing thereof, to a fixing device such as thecalender roll 15.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the rolls 10 and 22 as well as the slide member11 are shown in a top plan view, with the central intermediate portionsof these elements omitted for convenience. FIG. 5 clearly shows theplurality of guide means 24 carried by the roll 22 for guiding the webinwardly away from the ends of the roll 22 toward the center thereof soas to produce the transverse compacting. This plurality of guide means24 takes the form of elongated endless surface portions of the roll 22which extend around the axis thereof and which are respectively situatedin planes, or at least substantially in planes, which are inclined withrespect to a plane passing transversely across and through the axis ofthe roll 22 so as to be normal thereto. The structure of the endlessguide means 24 may take the form of grooves which are formed in theexterior surface of the roll 22 or they may take the form of ribs whichare raised from the exterior surface of the roll 22 and which areendless and situated in the planes which are inclined with respect tothe plane normal to the plane of the axis of the roll 22. Of course,these endless guide means 24 may be curved somewhat as indicated in FIG.5, although the results of the invention will also be achieved withguides which are situated in planes. Where the guides 24 are in the formof ribs raised from the surface of the roll 22, these ribs may be formedby suitable wires having a predetermined cross-sectional configurationand welded or otherwise joined to the exterior surface of the roll 22.With the roll 22 rotating in the direction of the arrow X indicated inFIGS. 4 and 5, it is apparent that the plurality of guide means 24acting on the web will have a component directing the web inwardlytoward the center of the roll, so as to produce the transversecompacting. FIG. 6 shows a developed view of the exterior surface of theroll 22 indicating how the plurality of guides 24 not only are situatedin planes which are inclined with respect to a plane normal to the axisof the roll, but in addition illustrating how the extent of aninclination gradually increases from the center toward the outer ends ofthe roll, so that the forces compacting the web transversely toward thecenter of the roll are greater at the ends of the roll and graduallydiminish toward the center of the roll.

Thus, the structure of FIGS. 4 and 5, when the roll 22 turns in thedirection of the arrow X, will act on the web 17 with the plurality ofguide means 24 so as to transversely compact the web inwardly toward thecenter of the roll while the web travels through the gap defined betweenthe rolls and between the slide member 23 and the roll 22. Therefore,when the treated web is in the form of a woven fabric having warp andweft yarns, the warp yarns will of course be crowded in toward eachother by the transverse compacting structure of my invention and thebulging of the weft yarn about the warp yarns, over and under which theweft yarns pass, will be increased. Of course, the extent of movement ofthe outermost warp yarns toward the center of the web is greater thanthe extent of movement of the central warp yarns in order to compensatefor the shifting of all of the yarns toward the center of the web.

It is apparent from the above description that with the apparatus of myinvention the web which is treated is nowhere pushed through a zone ofrestriction whose thickness or depth is substantially less than thethickness which would naturally be assumed by the web itself, and at thesame time the web is guided so that it slides at all times alongrelatively large surfaces of the structure of my invention.

In the case where a particularly great degree of compacting is desired,such as where the difference between the speeds of rotation of the pairof cooperating compacting rolls is relatively great, the compactingforce will 0ppose the movement of the web through the gap definedbetween the first roll and the slide member cooperating therewith. Thedistance between the pair of cooperating compacting rolls as well asbetween the latter and the slide members which cooperate therewith is asa rule so selected that the web cannot yield transversely. However, itis possible to adjust this distance so that after compacting the web hasa crepe or pleated structure.

The web which is treated travels along the completely smooth surface ofthe slide members as a result of the clinging of the web to the exteriorsurfaces of the rolls, and of course the rate of travel of the web inthe region of the second roll will be less than in the region of theimmediately preceding first roll. In order to adapt the second roll tothe properties of different textile qualities, the second roll can haveits exterior surface provided with a greater coeflicient of frictionthan that of the first roll,

and the slide member which cooperates with the second roll can also havea greater coefiicient of friction than that of the first slide member.Moreover, it is possible to adjust the distance of the second slidemember from the second roll, with which it cooperates, in such a waythat a light uniform pressure will be applied to the web in the gapdefined between the second roll and the second slide member cooperatingtherewith. Of course, reference here to a second roll is intended torefer to the second roll of any given stage so that the second roll isto be taken here as meaning with reference to an immediately precedingtreating roll and can refer not only to the roll 12 with respect to theroll 16, but also to the roll 18 with respect to the roll 12. By theaddition of further rolls which progressively rotate at slower speeds itis of course possible to add as many compacting stages as desired, andthis of course has been indicated in FIG. 2.

Furthermore, the structure of FIGS. 46 which provides a transversecompacting of a web in the direction of the weft yarns is also a highlydesirable feature which heretofore has not been produced by the knownmachines. Thus, with the structure of my invention it is possible toarrange subsequent to the rolls which provide longitudinal compactingthe structure of FIGS. 4-6 for providing transverse compacting. As maybe seen from FIG. 9, a structure precisely like that of FIG. 2 isprovided except that instead of an additional roll 18 cooperating withthe roll 12 to provide a second stage of longitudinal compacting, theroll 22 of FIG. 4 is used to replace the roll 13 so as to provide withthe roll 12 an additional stage of transverse compacting of the web, andin this way both longitudinal and transverse compacting can be achieved.

Naturally a plurality of rolls similar to the rolls 22 may be arrangedin a series to provide a plurality of transverse compacting stageslTransverse compacting roll 22 will in general be driven so that itsexterior surface travels at a speed greater than that of the immediatelypreceding roll, such as the roll 10 or the roll 12, and the guide means24 can either be somewhat curved as indicated in FIG. or can be situatedin planes inclined to a plane normal to the axis of the roller 22, asindicated in FIG. 6. However, these guides can also be stepped so thatinstead of being straight or curved they have intermediate portionswhich extend for a short distance parallel to the axis of the roll 22,for example, and thus a considerable variation in the configuration ofthe guides 24 can be provided.

It is of advantage to provide a structure for heating the rolls and/orthe slide members cooperating therewith, so that in this way thecompacting can be prefixed before the final fixing which takes place ata calendering roll or the like. The final fixing can of course takeplace in a known way by a heat treatment such as that provided by a feltcalendering roll. Immediately after the last compacting stage the web isreceived by the transporting means 14 which operates to transport theweb to the final fixing treatment, provided by the calendering roll 15,without any further stressing of the web as it is transported by thetransporting means 14.

Of course, with the structure of the invention, structure such as thebores 30 and the walls 31 shown in FIG. 1 can be used to treat thecompacted web with steam, air or any chemical agents, as is well knownin the treatment of textiles. The structure such as the apertures 30 andwalls 31 of FIG. 1 can be used to direct into engagement with the web afluid in gas or liquid form or even a powder.

The entire machine which has the structure of my invention incorporatedtherein can take many different forms depending upon the particulartreatment. One possible example of such a machine is shown in FIG. 8.Thus, the table 40 of the machine is supported at a suitable elevationabove the floor by standards 41. At the left end of the machine, asviewed in FIG. 8, is a supply roll 42 from which the web 17, which is tobe treated, can be derived. The machine will in general have 8 a Widthof 2 meters corresponding to the usual width of lengths of fabric.

From the supply roll 42 the web 17 is passed over steam-furnishing units43 so as to dampen the Web before it is given the treatment of theinvention, and in this way the setting of the compacting is enhanced. Asuitable hood 44 is arranged over the steam-furnishing units 43. Fromthe humidifying assembly 43, 44 the web travels around a guide roller45, supported on any suitable standards 46, to the structure of myinvention per see, this structure being supported between a pair ofstandards 47 which are mounted on top of the table 40. The standards 47are provided with suitable cutouts so as to support for movementbearings 48 and 51 in which the ends of the rolls 10 and 12 aresupported. The bearing 48 is connected to an adjusting structure 49, andof course the other end of the roll 10 which is not visible in FIG. 8 issupported in precisely the same Way. The adjusting structure 49 can takethe form of a suitable cylinder slidably supporting a piston whose rodis connected to the bearing 48, and this cylinder may be supplied withliquid or air under pressure for adjusting the position of the bearings48 of the roll 10 so that the axis of the latter may be shifted whileremaining at all times parallel to itself. However, any other adjustingstructure, such as suitable rotary nuts engaging screws connected to thepair of bearings 48 at the ends of the roll 10, can also be provided.

In much the same way the shaft of the compacting roll 12 is supported atits ends in the pair of bearings 51 which are supported for slidablehorizontal movement in a suitable guide formed in the pair of standards47, both of which are constructed as shown for the standard visible inFIG. 8, and here again an adjusting structure 52 may be connected withthe bearings 51 for adjusting the latter and the roll 12 therewith. Theadjusting structure 52 will of course be identical with the adjustingstructure 49, and these adjusting structures may be used to adjust thesize of the compacting gap between the pair of rolls 10 and 12.

In addition, the slide members 11 and 13 are respectively connected withadjusting devices 54 and 55 which also may be hydraulic, pneumatic, ormechanical, as well as electrical, if desired, and with these structuresit is possible to raise and lower the slide members 11 and 13 so as tocontrol the width of the gaps which they define with their cooperatingrolls 10 and 12, respectively. In addition it is to be noted that theadjusting devices 49, 52, 54 and 55 can also be actuated for the purposeof withdrawing the rolls and the slide members to initial startingpositions providing easy threading 0f the web initially through thestructure of my invention, and thereafter the structure may be returnedto positions providing the gaps of the required thickness.

The rolls which support the endless transporting band 14- are alsocarried by any suitable standards supported on the table 40, and thesame is true of the roll 15 which provides the final fixing in themanner described above.

A suitable drive such as an endless chain 50 delivers rotation from anysuitable gearing, motor, or the like to a sprocket which is fixed to theshaft connected to the roll 10, and another drive which includes anendless sprocket chain 53, for example, transmits the drive to the roll12, and of course these rolls will be driven at dififerent speeds toprovide the compacting of my invention. In the same way a sprocket chain56 is driven from any suitable source and passes about a sprocket wheelfixed to the shaft which is coaxially connected to the calendering roll15 so as to rotate the latter.

Finally, the web 17 is received on a take-up roll 57 wound about a shaftor the like whose free ends are received between pairs of parallelvertically extending guide ribs 58 fixed to the inner faces of a pair ofstandards 59 carried by the table 40 and serving to support a pair ofrolls 6% on which the take-up roll 57 is supported.

The left roll 60 is driven from a suitable chain drive 61 so that thetake-up roll will rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed inFIG. 8, and thus the web 17 will continuously travel from left to right,as viewed in FIG. 8, receiving the treatment of my invention and beingwound up onto the take-up roll 57 whose central axis can continuallyrise while the roll is driven by the left roll 60 of FIG. 8.

Of course, the primary advantages which are achieved by my invention areon the one hand that the web itself is very greatly protected againstbecoming damaged by the treatment, and on the other hand the treatingrolls and the slide members which cooperate therewith are not stressedto any appreciable extent so that they do not become worn. Furtheradvantages reside in the possibility of providing multiple stages ofcompacting as well as providing physical or chemical treatment of theweb simultaneously with the compacting thereof. In addition, the furthertransporting of the web in a completely unstressed condition by theendless band 14 to the fixing means provides a great advantage since thecompacting is not disturbed in any way prior to the final fixingthereof. Above all, the highly reliable constructive features of myapparatus, as compared to the prior machines, are of very greatadvantage. While with the known machines it is critical to provide auniform resistance to movement of the web through the zone ofrestriction so that any curving of a pressure rail or the like is afault which must be corrected with the prior art machines, with theapparatus of the invention such a high degree of accuracy and precisionin the structure, not only as it is manufactured but also during theoperation, is not required.

Furthermore, the possibility of achieving both longitudinal andtransverse compacting effects is of great advantage, particularly whenthese effects are achieved by the single machine according to myinvention, and especially where there are a plurality of compactingstages such as, for example, two longitudinal compacting stages and onetransverse compacting stage.

Naturally my invention is not limited to the combination of longitudinaland transverse compacting, since my invention can be used either forlongitudinal compacting alone or for transverse compacting alone. Suchseparate compacting either only longitudinally or only transversely canthen be carried out in separate machines, whereever it is desired toprovide only a longitudinal compacting or only a transverse compacting.

As a result of the treatment provided by the apparatus of my inventionit is possible to achieve in a mechanical way a degree ofstretchability, of textile webs particularly, in the warp direction orin the weft direction or in both directions, which heretofore has notbeen possible by treatment of a fabric after it is woven. Similareffects have been achieved only with thermoplastic yarns which arecrimped before they are woven into a fabric.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for continuously and mechanically compacting anelongated web of flexible fibrous material in a transverse direction, arotary first roll having an exterior surface for engaging the Web andtransporting the latter, a first slide member having a concave surfaceof substantially the same curvature as the exterior surface of saidfirst roll directed toward and coaxially arranged with respect to thelatter to define therewith a gap through which the web moves whiletransported during rotation of said first roll, a rotary second rollparallel to said first roll and having an exterior surface receivingsaid web from said first roll to continue the transportation of saidweb, said second roll defining with said first roll a gap through whichthe web travels when moving from said first to said second roll, asecond slide member having a concave surface of substantially the samecurvature as said exterior surface of said second roll directed towardthe latter and located adjacent thereto substantially coaxiallytherewith for defining with said second roll a third gap through whichthe web moves during transportation by said first and second rolls, saidslide members respectively having ends situated adjacent said gapbetween said rolls, and guide means carried by said second roll at theexterior surface thereof for guiding the Web inwardly away from the endsof said second roll and toward the center thereof as said web movessuccessively through said gaps, so that said web is transverselycompacted, said second roll having a speed of rotation greater than thatof said first roll.

2. In apparatus as recited in claim 1, said guide means comprising aplurality of endless guiding portions all extending around the axis ofsaid second roll and respectively situated substantially in planes whichare inclined with respect to a plane which is normal to said axis ofsaid second roll, said planes respectively having with respect to saidplane normal to said axis of said second roll inclinations which in theregion of an intermediate portion of said second roll are less than inthe region of the ends of said second roll.

3. In apparatus as recited in claim 1, said guide means being in theform of a plurality of surface portions of said second roll extendingaround the axis thereof and respectively formed with grooves which areendless and which are respectively situated substantially in planeswhich are inclined with respect to a normal plane extendingperpendicularly across the axis of said second roll.

4. In apparatus as recited in claim 1, said guide means including aplurality of endless ribs respectively fixed to and projecting from theexterior surface of said second roll and respectively situatedsubstantially in planes which are inclined with respect to a planenormal to and extending across the axis of said second roll.

5. In apparatus as recited in claim 1, at least a third roll having anexterior surface receiving the web from said second roll, said thirdroll also carrying a guide means for guiding the web inwardly toward thecenter of and away from the ends of said third roll and said third rollrotating at a speed greater than that of said second roll.

6. In apparatus for compacting in a continuous mechanical manner anelongated web of fibrous material, a rotary first roll having anexterior surface for engaging and transporting the web, a rotary secondroll parallel to said first roll and having an exterior surface forreceiving the web from said first roll, said surfaces of said rollsdefining between themselves a gap through which the web moves, saidsecond roll cooperating with said first roll to compact the webmechanically and continuously as the web is transported by said rolls,and a pair of slide members respectively having concave surfacesdirected toward said exterior surfaces of said rolls and defining withsaid exterior surfaces gaps through which the web travels, said slidemembers being respectively situated adjacent the ends of said gapdefined between said rolls and all of said gaps having a thicknesssubstantially corresponding to that of the web so that the web is notpushed through any restricted zone of substantially lesser thicknessthan that which the web naturally assumes, said second roll having aspeed of rotation greater than that of said first roll and carrying aguide means for guiding the web inwardly away from the ends of saidsecond roll toward a central portion thereof, so as to transverselycompact said web.

7. In apparatus for mechanically and continuously compacting a flexibleweb of fibrous material, a plurality of parallel rolls respectivelyhaving exterior surfaces engaging the web for transporting the latterfrom the exterior surface of one roll to the exterior surface of thenext roll, each pair of successive rolls defining between themselves agap through which the web passes, and

said plurality of rolls including at least one roll which cooperateswith the next preceding roll and has a speed of rotation less than thatof said next preceding roll for longitudinally compacting the web and atleast one additional roll which cooperates with the next preceding rolland has a speed of rotation greater than that of said next precedingroll for transversely compacting the Web, and a plurality of slidemembers respectively having concave surfaces directed toward and beingsubstantially coaxial with the exterior surfaces of said rolls anddefining with said exterior surfaces gaps of substantially uniformthickness situated adjacent the gaps defined between the successiverolls, and all of said gaps having thicknesses respectivelycorresponding substantially to the thickness pushed through anyrestricted zone of a thickness substantially less than that Which theweb naturally assumes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,263,712 11/1941 Wrigley et a1.2618.6 2,765,514 10/1956 Walton 2618.6 3,015,145 11/1962 Cohn et a1.2618.6 3,100,925 8/1963 Messinger 26l8.6 3,226,796 1/1966 Fox et al.2618.6 XR 3,235,933 2/1966 Catallo et a1. 26l8.6 3,236,718 2/1966 Cohnet al 2618.6 XR 3,287,784 11/1966 Loftin et al.

of the web so that the latter is advanced without being 15 ROBERT R.MACKEY, Primary Examiner

